Famous people who are supposedly autistic?

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I don't know how you feel about this, but in the past I've gotten pretty annoyed by several people who keep claiming that famous people like Einstein, Mozart etc. had autism. The way I see it, you can't simply put a label on someone just like that. You need experts and a close examination for a proper diagnosis, which especially makes postmortal diagnoses nearly impossible, imo. Some may see it as a way to promote autism by shedding a positive light on it, but this just irritates me since it is based on pure speculation and, on top of that, quite ignorant (isn't it?). In the worst case, it might even nourish the stereotype that autism either means being "low functioning" and having zero mental capacity or being a genius who will come up with the next big scientific discovery or invention, leaving out the majority of autistic people who are a lot more ordinary than some people might believe.

What are your thoughts on this?

The claim that Mozart was autistic is especially hilarious, seeing as he was noted for his great sense of humour and for being head of his Masonic Lodge. Just your typical Aspie?

As for Einstein, the only "evidence" that I've heard of his purported autism was him being late to start speaking. That could have been caused by a number of things though; it doesn't follow that he was autistic just because of that.

I've suspected Steve Martin is AS or at least BAP although I haven't found much opinion to corroborate this. I won't go into the details of why I think this, though.

We are supposed to be exacting, detailed oriented and logical, yet too many of us make this emotional connection with celebrities and historical figures because they were supposedly autistic. I get it, when one has been endlessly stigmatized, bullied and told how wrong one is for ones whole life for who you are your self-esteem goes to hell. It is good to have role modes, people like you who have achieved great success.

Thing is we can have that while not being possibly inaccurate. We can say with certainty that a number of these people have or had a number of demonstrable autistic traits and have done great things despite or because of these autistic traits. That is enough, it really is.

I do not mind people saying Einstein had autistic traits or I suspect Ben Franklin was autistic and this is why. A thread where people guess that someone might have been autistic if done in a fun spirit is ok with me.

My problem is with people who just make blanket statements with no caveats such as "Aspies like Bill Gates, and Steve Jobs". When I call them out on it some get upset. No, you should not "diagnose" a person you have just read about. Einstein might or might not have been autistic. Either way, all the amateurs diagnosing him are not Einstein.

Perhaps being funny was a special interest of his. Perhaps they put him at the top of the lodge, people don't always want to go for leadership positions, they can be voted in for being popular.

Steve Jobs was a sociopath.

IN MY OPINION these people clearly had Aspergers:
Issac Newton
Nikola Tesla

Dan Akroid has stated he has Aspergers.
Jerry Seinfeld has stated he identifies with many Aspergers traits.
Also Larry David could possibly have it, he's very quirky. I haven't investigated enough, but they laugh about his quirks and it was a great inspiration for character and story lines on Seinfeld (the sitcom).

It's human nature to try and understand one another. Labels are a way to sort thoughts into coherent ideas. I don't have a problem with it personally.

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Apparently some ignorant dumb cluck told you that autistics have no sense of humor. Sorry. Lack of a sense of humor is NOT a diagnostic trait of autism. And the presence of it has nothing to do with disproving autism.

I agree that Mozart was not likely to be an aspie or an autistic though. Einstein did have aspie traits. Hard to say one or the other about him. Could have been HFA, or he might not have been. One reason I am reading a recent biography of him.

Dian Fossey?

Now that I am familiar with Aspie-ness, being aspie would explain a lot about her behavior I did not understand previously.

Especially considering the percentage of above people listed who are successful comedians.

I get the opposite from lay people and professionals.
A.
A Dr. in my new primary physician office told me it was because I looked at him
B.
During a conversation while getting fitted for eye glasses I was told
You don’t look autist.
C. I’m a part time and full time ( when on stage) laugholgist.

I have been an arm chair diagnostician at times. I am not that kind of Doctor
(One was the fictional character Sherlock Holmes)

Me. Still to old to kno it all

Pretty sure there's some autistic comedians, probably no famous ones

Chris Packham's my spirit animal

https://link.springer.com/article/10.10 ... 004-2547-8

http://www.autismsupportnetwork.com/new ... mor-656721

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF02172141

It was from these 'ignorant dumb clucks' here^ that I learnt about the differences between Aspie and NT humour, as well as from various books. And, of course, my own lifelong experience of not laughing when NTs were and, conversely, laughing hysterically at stuff no one else found funny.

"Great sense of humour" or "GSOH" is a figure of speech; it's interpreted as having a mainstream sense of humour and it doesn't necessarily mean that someone without it doesn't have any humour. I have a lot of humour but hardly anyone else shares my sense of it, so I would never describe myself as having a "great sense of humour". If other people don't share your sense of humour then, no matter how much you laugh at stuff, they aren't going to describe you as funny (in my experience, just "weird").

I have been told I have a good sense of humor. I don't like scripted jokes out of books. Most of them are dumb, and some are definitely not funny and just plain mean.

Now you just made think about Digit

http://the-genius-of-autism.wikia.com/wiki/Dian_Fossey

Was Digit autistic? (JOKE!)

How about Edward Abbey?